Monday, March 16, 2009

UIS to host showing of movie 'Milk'

The University of Illinois at Springfield will host a showing of the movie Milk on Friday, March 27, in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus.

The first showing of Milk will begin at 3:30 p.m. with an “Out in Politics” panel discussion following at 6 p.m., also in Brookens Auditorium. A second showing of the film will begin at 8 p.m. Both showings and the panel discussion are free and open to the public; UIS students will receive priority seating.

Milk stars Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna and James Franco, and tells the story of Harvey Milk and his struggles as a gay activist in the United States.

In 1977, Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man to be voted into major public office in America. While in office, he forged coalitions across the political spectrum. From senior citizens to union workers, Milk changed the nature of what it means to be a fighter for human rights before his untimely death in 1978. The film charts the last eight years of Milk’s life.

The “Out in Politics” panel held between film showings will consist of LGBTQ-identified (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning) politicians who will share their experiences on being out and active in the political arena.

The event is sponsored by the UIS LGBTQ Resource Office and the LGBTQ Resource Office Programming Advisory Board.

For more information, contact the LGBTQ Resource Office at LGBTQ@uis.edu.